Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-11-29

ing, from the inner court to the alley, was
Quilted while the cause of the ruin went fly
ing up above the highest buildings thirty
feet, and then fell back with crash on the
roof, where it still lies
The sound of the explosion had hardly
died away before the fire department was on
hand, and the incipient fire, which in a few
moments would have added infinitely to the
horror of the disaster, was quenched; and
then the men went to work getting out the
imprisoned people and propping up the walls.
The last person rescued was girl, who was
taken dead out Of the ruins just outside of
the door leading from the pastry-room into
the alley on the first or basement floor. She
had apparently started to run out and been
caught in the falling bricks and mortar. Her
head was toward the south, and on the still
face look Of terrible agony fingered
The cause OF the explosion as near as can
be learned, was the water-heater connected
with the kitchen range. The supply pipe
had frozen, and at the time two plumbers
were at work thawing'it out. 1t is supposed
the cold water rushing into the water-back
caused the explosion. The kitchen is located
on the second floor, off from the dining-room,
and was in the rear of the inner court that
opens from the first floor As stated, break
fast was being served Mt the time In the
kitchen We're the head and second cooks and
three girls Just across low partition
which separated the range from the heater
where the dishes were kept warm and where
the dishing up was done were four dining
room girls, waiting for orders, and Harry
Taylor the night clerk, who had gone off
watch at 7 O'clock and had just finished his
breakfast.
Mr. Taylor was about the only one who re-
tanned his presence of mind in that awful
moment, and he gives a very graphic descrip-
lion of the scene al was sitting in the kitch-
en-, he said, talking to one of the girls.
when the explosion came | was sitting on
seat that ran back of three post partition
at the end of the range. On the other side of
the heater, which was toward the court, four
girls were standing waiting to have their or
ders filed All OF a sudden I heard some
thing that sounded like 'roush,' and felt
myself picked up and thrown over the heater
against the rail opposite. l came down on
my hands and knees. As | Strengthened
up | felt that something was falling and
braced myself As | did so a big patch
OF pastering came down and struck me on
the shoulders and head. found | was not
badly hnrt, The first thought had was of
the Newhall house horror, and as quick as
could | grasped one Of the girls near me and
bundled her out through one of the windows
into the court. Then reached for another
In this way l got out two or three Then,
finding was growing weak. l ran to the din
ing room window on the other side of the
-sOt-n N
/ out and save these girls A number re-
/ sponded, and by their assistance they were
/ released 1t was terrible sight and don't
want to go through it again"
The force of the explosion shattered a third
! of the windows in the court as well as those
in the front of the ofiica At block away
the sound was that of big cannon, while
near by it was mutied, as of a gun under a
barrel
Just across the alley is The Sentinel build
ing The first floor, corresponding to the
kitchen floor of the hotel, is occupied on the
alley side by the bindery In this ten girls
and six or eight men and boys were at WORK
at the time of the explosion. Miss Nellie
Thompson was sitting facing window al
most opposite the kitchen. The conclusion
shattered the window in front of her and
drove the glass in over her head, cutting
her in a fri ghtful manner. Several other
| girls were cut, but not so severely. All rar
frightened out into the office, and Themes
| into the street Most of them took refuge IL
The Journal office opposite, where they wert
washed and their injuries dressed, aftel
which they were sent home Miss Thomp
son may lose her eyesight, both eyes and hel
head being badly cut
The hotel employees who were wounded
were carefully cared for at the house
the lower floor being thrown open for theil
reception. Monday evening they we're with
one or two exceptions, doing well.
The complete list of killed and wounded il
the Kirby house is as follows: Mrs. E. NJ
Gage, second cook, killed by explosion; An
ME Kennedy, pastry cook, spine dislocated
will die; f Carrie Alefsen, dining room girl
blinded by steam, severely scalded on heaC
and body and internally injured recovery
doubtful; Maggie Corrigan, badly scaldet
about head and body, may recov
er; Lima Klinkey, kitchen girl, bruiseS
about hips, limbs, and head recovery
probable; Mary Arbuckle, assistant pastry
cook, severely bruised, tut will recover; Alic
| DUFHet IbdtllTl STis WI
recover; Maggie Doran, kitchen girl, badly
bruised about body and severe burns on head
may racover; Norah Doherty, dining room
girl, two ribs broken and badly bruised, will
recover; Eva Fredericks, diuiug-room girl
bruised about the body, not serious; Mary
Lazy, kitchen girl, slightly bruised; Mr.
Beckwith. proprietor seriously bruised ahou
body and limbs; William Kreder, heat
porter blown from window, ankle sprained
Harry Taylor, clerk, bruised about head AM
shoulders, not serious.
The Sentinel bindery victims are as fol
lows: Nellie Thompson, blinded by falIinj
glass and severely cut about the head an,
shoulders and hands; will recover, but ma,
loss eyesight; Maggie Thies, cut on head
Annie Meyer, cut in face and on hands
Kate Killian, BADLY cut in face and hands
Emma Sazer face and hands cut; Gussi'
Feige, severe cut on head; Charles Zeorry, %
we're cut on hands All these will be out in